Weatherproof storage cabinet



Dec. 23, 1958 N. 1.. SPROUSE WEATHERPROOF STORAGE CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 1, 1958 fAn/'xvroe /V0 35/? A. S eeds: B4 Q m flrralwvsr Dec. 23, 1958 N. SPROUSE WEATHERPROOF STORAGE CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1, 1958 Y M z 0 0 Z r5. Q w/ #r 3 MW 7 m B J w United States Patent WEATI-IERPROOF STORAGE CABINET Norbert L. Sprouse, Columbus, Ind.

Application May 1, 1958, Serial No. 732,257

2 Claims. (Cl. 220-34) This invention relates to a cabinet, preferably portable, particularly intended to be used for holding bottled drinks in cartons, the cartons being stacked in layers one above the other within the cabinet.

A primary purpose of the invention is to provide a cabinet which will have a top and front side particularly to be held open for display of the goods, and to be readily closed in the event of rain or snow in order to protect the cartons generally made out of cardboard.

The cabinet embodying the invention would normally be used in positions outside of buildings such as at filling stations or even outside of stores and the like, so that the bottled goods would be readily available to passing cus tomers. Heretofore, the bottled goods thus presented have been carried in open wire racks and the like and no protection has been given to the cartons containing the bottles. These cartons are quite susceptible to water absorption, and when they become wet, they either fall apart or become wrinkled or so damaged that they have to be replaced and cannot be reused. The person operating the store or the filling station has no recourse other than possibly to throw over a canvas or the like, and normally the attendants neglect to do this.

In addition to the above indicated objects, it is a purpose of the invention to provide a construction which may be made at a relatively low price, and will be of a neat and attractive appearance which is necessary in making sales of such goods.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following description of one particular form, in which Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation and partial section of a cabinet embodying the invention, and in closed condition;

Fig. 2 isv a view in section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail in side elevation and partial section of the upper portion of the cabinet in the open condition; and

Fig. 4 is a view in section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

An open frame is provided and is mounted upon forward casters 11 and 12 and rear wheels 13 and 14. A pair of side walls 15 and 16 are detachably carried by lower ends by the frame 10 to extend upwardly therefrom, and these side walls 15 and 16 are detachably fixed to a back wall 17 also detachably fixed to the frame 10, the side walls 15 and 16 preferably extending forwardly of the back wall 17 at right angles thereto. In the form herein shown, these walls are inclined upwardly and rearwardly.

A floor 18, herein shown made out of rods 18a crossing one another to form a removable shelf or floor, is supported by side flanges 19 and 20 and front and rear flanges 21 and 22. This floor 18 is spaced above the frame 10.

A top cover 23 is hinged to the back 17 at its top end by a hinge 24. This cover 23 preferably nests over the top ends of the side walls 15 and 16 and the back wall 5 tions of the side walls 15 and 16 are provided with return flanges 28 and 29 directed one toward the other. The front upper panel 25 overlaps these flanges 28 and 29 by its beveled side edge portions.

A lower panel 30 is hingedly connected to the lower edge 31 of the upper panel 25, and this panel 30 extends downwardly to overlap the front portion of the fixed frame 10, Fig. 2. The lower panel 30 likewise overlaps by its side edge portions the flanges 28 and 29. In each instance, the upper edge of the upper and lower panels 25 and 30 is provided with a water stop member 32 projecting inwardly and then upwardly under a front edge portion 27 of the cover 23 in the one case and under the lower edge portion 31 of the upper panel 25 in the other instance, as best shown in Fig. 2. The hinging means between the panels 25 and 30 in the form herein shown consists of the pair of hinges 33.

The fore and aft dimension ofthe cover 23 and the vertical dimensions of the panels 25 and 30 are made to be such that when the panel 30 is folded upwardly against the panel 25, and then the two panels are folded back on top of the cover 23, the cover 23 may be swung upwardly and rearwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 3 to carry the panels 25 and 30 around and therebehind to rest upon a crossbar 35 which in the present instance also serves, in addition to the stop for those panels, as a handle for use in moving the cabinet about. It is to be noted in Fig. 3 that the cover 23 is inclined rearwardly and upwardly, and this is done purposely so that advertising matter may be placed thereon for display purposes since the cabinet is normally opened with the cover and panels in the folded positions as indicated in Fig. 3. Preferably the bar 35 has an upwardly extending projection 36 in order to provide a stop to hold the panels 25 and 30 from sliding off the bar 35.

In use, the cabinet will be stocked with a plurality of cartons of bottles (not shown) to rest initially by the lowermost cartons on the false floor 18, and then the cartons are stacked over the lower ones on up to the top of the cabinet. When there is threatening weather, the cover 23 will be pulled around over the top of the cabinet, and then the panels 30 and 25 will be swung around to hang in the positions across the opening between the side walls 15 and 16 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, and thus the contents will be fully protected. In the present showing, the front edges as well as the top ends of the side walls 15 and 16 are carried into the flanges 28 and 29 by beveled areas 38, and the upper end of the back wall 17 is likewise provided with an area 39 merging into the area 38 of the top ends of the side walls. In this way, not only is a neater appearing cabinet presented, but additional protection is had against the entrance of water under wind pressure between the panels and top cover and the walls.

If desired, a spacer member 40 may be provided between the side walls 15 and 16. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this member 40 extends across the front opening between the side walls 15 and 16 adjacent their upper ends to be fixed by its end portions to the inner sides of the respective flanges 28 and 29. This member 40, in addition to spacing the side walls 15 and 16, provides an additional area on which advertising matter may be placed for display purposes.

One particular manner of demountably attaching the side walls 15 and 16 to the back 17 and to the base frame 10 may be by employing self-threading screws 41 through the lower end of the back 17 engaging an upturnedqfiange 42 extendingfupwardly from the frame 10, and through the lower ends of the side walls 15 and 16 engaging frame upturned fianges 43 and 44. The side walls 15 and 16 have'edge flanges '45 and 46 respectively turned to lap over the side edgeportions of the back 17 and additional screws 41 are passed through these flanges 45 and 46 engaging the back 17. To stiffen the corners,

the back 17 may have forwardly extending flanges 47 and 48 bearing along the inside of the side walls 15 and 16.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form, it is obviousthat structural changes may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations extending from edge portions of the backwall, the side walls defining a front opening therebetween at their front edges and also a top opening between the back wall and the top portions of the side walls; a cover hingedly carried by the back wall to. swing therefrom and over said top opening; an upper panelhingedly carried by a front edge portion of said cover; a lower panel hingedly carried by a lower edge portion of the upper panel; said two panels in one position hanging downwardly from said cover covering said front opening, and in a second position, the lower panel being folded over the upper panel and the two panels being carried over said cover; a stop member carried'by said'cabinet; the lower end of said upper panel resting on said stop member when said cover is swung upwardly and rearwardly, said stop member thereby retaining the coverin an upwardly and rearwardly directed position to render the normal under side visible from the front of-the cabinet.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the front and top edge portions of said side walls have beveled areas, and said cover and panels are complementary beveled to fit in closed positions over said areas and retain the upper forward portions of the side walls against spreading apart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 326,248 Roth Sept. 15, 1885 1,216,330 Kroseng Feb. 20, 1917 1,471,757 Thiriot Oct. 23, 1923 

